Movable strip indicator board



Dec, 25, 1951 F. L. wAssELl.

MOVABLE STRIP INDCATOR BOARD 2 sI-IEETsf-SHEET 1 Filed oct. 4, 1946 /N VIENTO/2. FRANK LLOYD wAssELL L MNM H/s A T To@ NE Ys.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 25, 1951 F. L. wAssELL MOVABLE lSTRIP INDICATOR BOARD Filed oct. 4. i946 Y #VVE/vraie. I FRANK LLOYD wAssELL H/S A TTOR/VEYS.

Patented Dec; 25, 1951 MOVABLE STRIP INDICATOR BOARD Frank Lloyd Wassell, Westport, Conn., assignor y to Georgene Parkin Wassell, Westport, Conn.

Application October 4, 1946, Serial N o. 701,287

The present invention relates to a movable strip .indicator board of the kind employing pegs or other markers for the purpose of keeping track of data of various kinds.

Industrial organizations employing fleets of vehicles, for example, such as aircraft, trucks, automobiles, taxicabs, locomotives, railway cars, ships or the like, have experienced considerable diiculty heretofore in scheduling necessary or prescribed inspections or overhaulings -after a certain number of hours of flight or miles or" travel as the case may be. lThe operators of an airline, for instance, may have determined that certain maintenance operations are desirable or necessary for every aircraft or engine after every 200, 500 and 1000 hours of flight but are not equipped with reliable and readily visible means for keeping a running check of the number of hours of flight completed by each aircraft. s It is an object of thepresent invention to provide a movable strip indicator board that will enable the operator of a fleet of vehicles, for example, to keep a running check on the hours or miles of service performed by each vehicle and will call to his attention the need for a particular servicing or maintenance operation on each of his vehicles at the time such operation is required.

A further object is to provide a compact board of this kind which is simple in construction and durable in operation.

A more general object of the present invention is to provide a peg positioning rstrip indicator board that is adaptable to a great variety of uses and which may be manipulated at will and with utmost facility.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following description of two preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 represents a part-sectional elevation of one preferred modification of a movable strip indicator board;

Figure 2 ls a vertical section through line 2 of the device shown in Figure 1;

Y Figure 3 is an elevation of a composite strip member showing parts of three elongated strip elements; e l

Figure 4 is a detailed view, rconsiderably enlarged, showing a pin for connecting two of vthe elongated strip elements shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross-section through line 5-5 of the elements shown in Figure 3;

" f Figure 6 is a cross-section of a supporting mem- -ber for the elements shown in Figures 3 and 5 8 Claims. (Cl. 11G-136) taken through line B-- of the device shown in Figure '7;

Figure '7 is a horizontal elevation of the supporting member shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an elevation, partly in section and cut away of another preferred embodiment of a movable strip indicator control board;

Figure 9 is a vertical section through line S-S of the device shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a detailed view in perspective showing the operative connection of a stripsegment with a station peg;

Figure 11 is a part-sectional view through line lI-H of the device shown in Figure 8;

Figure 12 is a view of an indicator peg having a square gripping portion;

Figure 13 is a view of a station peg; and

Figure 14 is a view of an indicator peg having a cylindrical gripping portion.

In describing the application of the present invention to industrial control problems,'refer ence will be made in the following description specifically to the manner in which applicant's control board may be applied by the operators of an airline to keep them informed of the present and impending maintenance operations required for each of their aircraft. It is to be understood, however, that this specific description is merely illustrative and not intended to limit in any way the scope of applicants invention. A

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the board illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a central working section 2U, a left-hand section 22,normally covered by a panel 24 hinged to the left end 26 of frame 28, and a right-'hand section 33, normally covered by a panel 32, hinged at the right end 34 of frame '28. The various parts of this board may be constructed of laminated sheets of fibrous material, of plastic, or they may be formed of any other material suitable for the purposes of durability and convenience of operation. Either or both panels 24 and 32 are constructed as shown at 34 and 36 to receive various sheets of descriptive matter relating to the aircraft of which a record is to be kept or visible card indexes showing more complete records of the particular aircraft involved, the visible portion of the card or cards for a particular aircraft being opposite the line assigned to said aircraft.v

lThe central working 'portion 2i! of the board includes a number of slideable, composite strip member 38 hav-ing at least one, and preferably two rows of apertures Il@ and 42 spaced equidistantly along the' length thereof. The composite strip members 38 are arranged in parallel and mounted slideably in J-shaped supporting members 44, which in turn are fixedly mounted on the back 46 of frame 28 by any suitable means such as screws 4T.

The length of frame 28 is such as to accommodate a composite strip member 38 comprising at least three elongated members 48 connected in tandem bymeans of connecting pins 50 engaging With holes 52. The J-shaped supporting member 44, illustrated in detail in Figures 6 and '7, is provided with a station hole 54 in the back thereof;

and web 56 of J-shaped support 44 is out away/in front of hole 54, as shown at 58. Holes d in each elongated member @.8 are adapted to receive indioator pegs 6!) and 62 shown in FigureslZ and 14 respectively, and holes 42 are station holes.r that are in alignment with station hole 54 of J-shaped support 44 and are adapted to receiveVv station peg 64 shown in Figuregl. The J-shaped supportingmembers foi are mounted sin; parallel :on back 43 of frame in the positions shownsin Figures-l and 2 so that-station holes M off the various supportingviueni-bers form. aJ vertical line adiaoent the leithand edge of workingsection 2li` of` the board,Y

In order to simplifythe disclosure, only two vcomposite strip members 38 vhave been, shown in Figure l. It is to be understood, ,0i coursathat each of the 25 supporting members de is'capable of carrying, and OrdinarilyA do carry,` a composite strip member 38 and that the board may beexpanded vertically to accommodate a greater number o composite stripmembers.

In operation,y the operatorin-,tially connects together in tandem two elongated members. da by means of connecting pin 5i! for every aircraft of which. a record is to be kept and places them in supporting member dfi, into such positionY that the, left-.hand station`hole` ft2, opposite, numeral l O, as ill strated in. ure ci the left element 8 coincides .with station hole in supporting member l and inserts astatio .peg Eil-.through saidv holes to'preventfurthei Sliding ci @mpv/,Site strip: member 3,8 in J-shaped support lill. The numerals 0, l., 2 3, etc. on the face of each elongated element QS.. may beused to. designateunits, tensor hundreds oi, hours of, flight, for example, or they may bereplaoedby any other'numerical units appropriate to the..intendedl use. If for instance, each aircraft, isto receive an inspection, overhaul, and Vengine replacement.v at the.. end, of eachA 200, 50o and i600 hours ciflight..respectiven ly,y an indicator pes Ell, to indicate inspection is inserted into an aperture 4G above numeralv2, a g

second indicatorl peg S2 to indicatey an. overhaul isinserted into-an aperture iii above numeral. 5 and a third indicator pesto indicate engine replacement.. is inserted into an aperture 4,0.,above numeral 0 inthe, right, hand element. 48.. When,- ever the operator receives a. :report that. the aircraft has4 completedtenx hours of, iiightior eX.- ample, he removes station peg 6,4, from the ,station holes 52 and 514,. inserts. it into `the aperture. i2

below numeral l, andmoves the composite strip ,I

4 ly remove peg E0 and reinsert it into an aperture 40 above numeral 4.

As soon as the right end of the right-hand elongated member 48 reaches the vicinity of the,

right end of central working section 20, the operator opens panel 32 and attaches another member 48 thereto by means of connecting pin 50 inserted into holes 52. Whenever the left-hand member 48 is moved beyond the left side of the central controlsection 2i?, the operator opens panel 24 and disconnects said element by withdrawing connecting pin 50 from holes 52.

The second preferred modication of the movable strip indicator board shown in Figures 8 and 'i y 9includes a frame 6G, hinged panels 62 and B4 and rollers `66 and 68 adapted to support composite, movable. strip members 7D, each of which has at least one, and preferably two rows of apertures 40 and 42 spaced equidistantly along the length thereof. llachfompositeV strip member comprises a plurality of4 block members 12 mcuinted upon an endless band .l o steel, plastic, fiber or the like, nany suitable manner such as shown, for example, in Figures 1,0 and l1.

Rollers 66` and 68 each vcomprise a, lixedshaft 'l5- secured `to the top .and bottom members -of frame 6D' by any suitable means' such as screws lf3, and a, series oi flangedcoll'ars Si! .mounted for individual rotation on shaft 'lli andadapted to support composite strip members l0. One or morev ausiliary rollers S2 mountedy onY tops. and bottom members oi frame 6B by screws .18 or the like, may be provided between rollers 65 andi-68 to provide lateral support Ioreomposite members 7B. Such rollers 8.2 man if'desiredw be of the same construction as rollers SB and 68.

An angle iron 84. is xed'lyimoun-ted in: frame Si! inthe position shown in Figures 8 and 9 and is provided with station holesrequal in, number tothe numberof` compositev stripr members g l0 mounted on rollers-stand t3., each station holei being substantially in line with therow ,of station apertures 42 of the.v composite stripmember ,'l thereover. 1 Y

Panels ,62 and 6.4,.-w-hichare hingedftosidemembers oi frame-50, are constructed to receivevari,- ous sheets of descriptive matter relating tothe air-craft of which a record is to be kept or visible card indexes showing morecom-pleterecolds of the particular a-ircrait involved,thevisiblepor tion of the card being opposite the v'composite strip elementi@assigned-tothe unit.

The operation of this embQdimentissubStanf tially; thesame as-that previously described; with reference to. Figures, l and 2, the onlysdiiierence being that composite strip niemberslfareqendr- 16S.S.thus making itunneoessary for-the operator to 4connect. o r disconnect elongated.: i-nembersr M. Bloei; members, l2. may `alsor benumbered. in, any suitable manner. Compositestripmemhersfl are, releasablyy secured ,against movement ,by means oi station, pegs.4 5t. inserted through station holes 46 in block members l2 and-in engagement withstation noles-Sbf member 8d. Indicator pegs having diierently shaped oitmarleedvg-ripping portions such Vas, indicator pegs 60 and 62,; to; inclic-ate. difieren-t operati-ons. ,arefinselitedf insuitable indicator holes ri, as before. K A 1 ItV will, .beapparent thatdndicating. boards of Athe typeoontemplated by the presentfinvention may be employed toroontroloperations o-fVa/ryi-ng degrees of, complexity; ander1 a large numberf of units. It will alsofbefapparent-thatthaindicator board ofythe; present invention-,is susceptibles to many otheruses than-those-speciiicallydescribed herein. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the terms station peg and indicator peg do not necessarily indicate that the construction or dimensions of such pegs differ from one another, but only that their respective functions are different.

Although for the purpose of illustration, only two embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, it is to be understood that many alterations in the stru-cture may be made without departing from the scope of this invention. The invention is, therefore, to be limited only to the scope of the appended claims and the prior art.

I claim:

1. Indicating apparatus comprising a plurality of longitudinally movable strip members, said members being movable relative to and independently of one another and each member having a plurality of apertures equidistantly spaced along the length thereof, means for movably supporting said strip members, and pegs adapted to be positioned removably in said aperatures.

2. Indicating apparatus comprising a longitudinally mov-able strip member having two rows of apertures equidistantly spaced along the length thereof, means for supporting said strip member for longitudinal movement, a fixed member adjacent said movable strip member having a station hole substantially in line with one of said rows of apertures in said movable strip member, a station peg adapted to be positioned removably in the apertures of said one of said rows of apertures and in the station hole in said xed member to secure said strip member against movement, and at least one indicator peg adapted to be positioned removably in the apertures of the other of said rows of apertures in said movable strip member.

3. Indicating apparatus comprising a plurality of composite, longitudinally movable strip members, said members being movable relative to land independently of one another and each member having a plurality of apertures equidistantly spaced along the length thereof, means for detachably connecting components of said strip members in tandem, means for supporting said composite strip members, and pegs adapted to be positioned' removably in said apertures.

4. Indicating apparatus comprising a composite, longitudinally movable strip member having a plurality of apertures equidistantly spaced along the length thereof and comprising a plurality of elongated members detachably connected in tandem, xed means for slidably supporting said composite strip member, said means having -a station hole substantially in line with said apertures, a station peg adapted to be positioned removably in said apertures and said station hole to nx said movable strip member to said supporting means, and at least one indicator peg adapted to be positioned removably in said apertures.

5. Indicating apparatus comprising a plurality of composite, longitudinally slidable strip members disposed parallel to one another, each of said composite strip members having a plurality of apertures equidistantly spaced along the length thereof and comprising a plurality of elongated members detachably connected in tandem, means for slidably supporting said composite strip members, said means having station holes substantially in line with the apertures in the composite strip members, station pegs adapted to be positioned removably in said apertures and said station holes individually to fix said movable strip members to said supporting means, and indicator pegs adapted to be positioned removably in said apertures.

6. Indicating apparatus comprising a composite, longitudinally movable strip member having two rows of apertures equidistantly spaced along the length thereof and comprising a plurality of elongated members detachably connected in tandem, means for slideably supporting said composite strip member, said means having a station hole substantially in line with one of said rows of apertures in said composite strip member, a station peg Iadapted to be positioned removably in the apertures of said one of said rows of apertures and in the station hole in said supporting means to nx said composite strip member to said supporting means, and at least one indicator peg adapted to be positioned removably in the apertures of the other of said rows of apertures in said composite strip member.

7. Indicating apparatus comprising a plurality of longitudinally movable strip members, said members being movable relative to and independently of one another, each strip member having a plurality of apertures equidistantly spaced along the length thereof and comprising a plurality of block members mounted upon an endless band, a pair of rollers to support said composite strip member for longitudinal movement thereof, a fixed member adjacent said composite strip member and having a station hole substantially in line with said apertures, a station peg adapted to be positioned removably in said apertures and said station hole to x said composite strip member to said fixed member, and at least one indicator peg adapted to be positioned removably in said apertures.

8. Indicating apparatus comprising -a composite, longitudinally movable strip member having two rows 0f apertures equidistantly spaced along the length thereof and comprising a plurality of block members mounted upon an endless band, a pair of rollers to support said composite strip member for longitudinal movement thereof, -a fixed member adjacent said composite strip member and having a station hole substantially in line with one of said rows of apertures in said composite strip member, a station peg adapted to be positioned removably in the apertures of said one of said rows of apertures and in the station hole in said Xed member to engage said movable strip member with said xed membenand at least one indicator peg adapted to be positioned removably in the apertures of the other of said rows of apertures in said movable strip member.

FRANK LLOYD WASSELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 262,903 McMurtry et al. Aug. 15, 1882 277,681 Cole May 15, 1883 488.937 Dougan Dec. 27, 1892 891,949 Newell June 3, 1908 1,452,074 Evans Apr. 17, 1923 1,513,667 Matthewman Oct. 28, 1924 1,602,833 Perry Oct. 12, 1926 1,776,842 Reinicke Sept. 30, 1930 1,794,007 Fisher Feb. 24, 1931 1,818,951 Hanell et al Aug. 11, 1931. 

